The site was originally overfilled and didn’t meet environmental regulations in several categories. Methane gas needed to be regulated and leachate had the potential to leak into groundwater. If left unresolved, the leachate had the potential to seep into the soil and end up flowing into the nearby Norfork Lake, which is a major water supply for the people of Baxter County.

Cleanup began in 2017 when the problematic leachate was drained and hauled to the Springfield Water Treatment Plant in Missouri to be disposed. Next, contract crews relocated the existing waste to properly meet capacity requirements. In order to avoid possible explosions, gas wells were drilled to allow the release and proper collection of methane. The cells were then graded, sloped and smoothed out for the installation of the final cover.

ClosureTurf®, an engineered synthetic turf system, was the last phase of the project. It provided a permanent safeguard from future erosion issues and greatly reduced maintenance activities, including vegetation, mowing, fertilization, irrigation, re-vegetation, erosion repairs and stormwater pond cleaning associated with the original vegetated cover.